This invention relates to a marine propulsion system such as an outboard and more particularly to an improved locking device for such a marine propulsion system.
Marine propulsion systems such as outboard motors are generally readily detachable from the hull of the associated watercraft which they power. This means that an outboard motor is a device that can be relatively easily operated or taken by a person that is not the owner. Thus, various types of locking devices have been proposed for precluding this from happening. The locking devices commonly use all key and tumbler locking mechanisms. These locking mechanisms are relatively easy to defeat, however.
With automotive and other types of vehicle systems, a type of security system is employed in which the key is electrically or magnetically coded either alone or in combination with being keyed to operate a tumbler mechanism. These types of devices are much more difficult to defeat.
However, this type of locking mechanism requires a continuously available source of electric power to be present in the vehicle that is locked or controlled. By "continuously available source of electrical power," as utilized in this specification and in the claims, reference is made to a source of electric power that is continuously available whether the engine in the primer mover is operating or not. Conventionally, this source of power is a storage battery although other electrical sources are possible.
Most outboard motors, however, do not have such continuously available sources of electrical power. Therefore, this type of locking device has not been utilized with outboard motors or other forms of marine propulsion units.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved locking system for a marine propulsion system that utilizes a magnetically or electrically coded key for controlling the operation of the prime mover.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a marine propulsion unit of the type that can be provided with a security device that requires an electrically or magnetically coded key for its operation.